I'm a Libertarian living in Humboldt County, CA. I've lived here in Eureka since 1973 and joined the Libertarian Party in 1992. This blog will mostly focus on local political issues, but I may stray into state and national issues as well, when I can't help myself. Please post your comments by clicking on the "comments" link at the bottom of each post. Although I do moderate comments, you need not be a registered user to post them.

Friday, March 23, 2007

CSU Strike?

Faculty members of the California State University system are threatening to go on strike. Being on record as no friend of the Education- Industrial Complex, I say who cares? I don't.

Still it might be fun to have the strike go forth and see how many people, outside the news media, actually notice.

Tibor Machan doesn't think government employees should be able to go on strike.

Ol' Tibor should remember the Air Traffic Controlers. Most Gubment people can not strike, even private sector people are federally mandated from striking. Anyone deemed to be in a critical job, like Police, Fire, Nuke Power Plant Workers, Etc...

Maybe not notice, but be unable to tell the difference. Teachers sprouting off insane left-wing rants inside or outside the class getting paid or not getting paid....

Smells the same to most folks. They'll just use up some sick days and have a good laugh at the taxpayer's expence. After all, their sick days roll over and they can collect years worth of them. Then they can turn around and sell them back to the school and make even more money, just for showing up to work!

Wow, I think I found where all the uneducated, bitter and unskilled come to congregate. Government employees are still American citizens. Education is fundamental to maintain America's global position, and create a thoughtful society.

Wow, I think I found where all the uneducated, bitter and unskilled come to congregate. Government employees are still American citizens. Education is fundamental to maintain America's global position, and create a thoughtful society.

What I think is funny is that unionization of public employees is something that has been decided in the supreme court based on the constitution. Im willing to bet most of you didnt know that, then again most of you seem to listen to talk radio. Striking is such a rare situation. Most govt. employees are not allowed to do it. However all employees have the right to organize, wether through unions or fraternal organizations.

Once again Fred, I implore you to pick up a book and read. Perhaps some CR classes? As for government workers being overpaid, look it up. They are chronically paid under what the private sector pays. Why do you think they have a hard time attracting people with masters degrees? Because those people can make much more in the private sector. You can look at any literature on this subject at a library to find this information out. In fact pay scales are usually published online. For Humboldt county are they some of the better paying jobs? Yes. Are the people who also hold these jobs generally well qualified? Yes. Sorry Fred, but being a lawnmowerman does not qualify you for an 89k job managing a public library. Maybe if you had gone to school...

Once again Fred, I implore you to pick up a book and read. Perhaps some CR classes? As for government workers being overpaid, look it up. They are chronically paid under what the private sector pays. Why do you think they have a hard time attracting people with masters degrees? Because those people can make much more in the private sector. You can look at any literature on this subject at a library to find this information out. In fact pay scales are usually published online. For Humboldt county are they some of the better paying jobs? Yes. Are the people who also hold these jobs generally well qualified? Yes. Sorry Fred, but being a lawnmowerman does not qualify you for an 89k job managing a public library. Maybe if you had gone to school...

Ah, the myth and the lie is awake! Please tell me which company in the USA allows sick days to roll over year and year and year? Which company gives you so many paid days off? And the benefit packages that you get? How about this, which company will hire someone, and after vesting only 5 years, or less, into the company, you become unfireable?

Look at the complete mess CR is in right now, nobody has been fired over the issues at hand and what do they get for their major fuck-up? Each VP got a $10,000 a year raise.

Explain to me which company gives out so much money to a "company" that's failing?

Wow, I think I found the place the losers in the game of life come to moan and bitch. If working for the Government is so great, why do they have problems filling positions with qualified people? If weorking for the government is so great, why are you not in school to prepare yourself for one of those jobs?

Hank, you have really become a snarky ass. Here you are the first person to bring up Arkley. Why? You go out of your way to attack someone who fears the HSU strike would damage Arcata. I am sorry to say it but you have become no better than the size challenged trolls that roam the blogosphere.

Thankfully, Heraldo came to his senses and realized that this move was a serious tactical error that came *this* close to handing the entire county over to Arkley, once and for all. Now, the Heraldo jedi forces can get back to their important work. The tide has turned, mon freres! Hasta la victoria, siempre!

'Jedi forces' Hank? I see you still have some growing to do. Why dont you go on Heraldo's blog, and and be critical of Arkley hate on his page? Until then all you are doing is perpetuating hate filled commentary. Of course with the tabloid nature of journalism in this tiny county, I am not surprised by you apparent lack of progress. Journalism is with you young Hank, but you are not a Journalist yet. You are as clumsy as you are stupid.

3:47 wrote: "As for government workers being overpaid, look it up. They are chronically paid under what the private sector pays. Why do you think they have a hard time attracting people with masters degrees?".

Nope. Generally government employees earn more than those in the private sector, especially up here.

Why do people with Major college degrees have a hard time finding jobs? They probably don't, in either the government or private sector. Depends where their heads are at.

Ask Nick Bravo, or my very own nephew, both of who have double college degrees.

Nick, at least I've heard, is working at a Round Table Pizza in Arcata.

Mason, my nephew, is back at HSU, after supposedly earning two degrees- just like Nick.

His father decided to fund him again, since he couldn't keep a job after graduating.

with a college education its really less about where you start out. Its more about where you end up. I have yet to see someone with a doctorate or masters or even Bachelors who is in trouble after 40. Thats usually the age people without education begin to get in trouble.

Around these parts, in my age group, everybody's dream job is teaching.Why?- Because it's getting on the government tit. If they try and fire you, you get a lawyer, and they may pay you for years just to go away.

Funny, teachers are among the lowest paid and least protected group of government workers. Maybe, just perhaps, people become teachers out of a desire to do something good... just maybe???

If they do it simply out of a desire to get on the government 'tit', then your friends are not very smart. The job pays so very little.If they want to make the big bucks, go get a criminal justice degree and join a municipal police force that gives alot of overtime.

11:09PM: "...teachers are among the lowest paid and least protected group of government workers."

The NEA is the largest and most powerful arm of the Democratic party whose members remind one of the most recent addition to the single French field artillery battery. Les Infántes Terribles. They won't work and you can't fire them.

Fred, please go for a walk on the beach. Go to the petting zoo and pet a goat. Buy some flowers and place them in your home. Go to a therapist and get on some Prozac!

You have a depressing outlook on life, and why people do what they do! My god, do you ever have anything nice to say? You really believe that people are motivated only by their base needs. Teachers need security and cant function in the real world. Government employees do nothing all day but conspire to get paid 89k for doing nothing. Your nephew is a piece of shit because he's going back to school. Your other nephew is awesome because he is in a band, and according to you, takes after you. Oh yeah, and libraries are bad, because why should I support reading with my taxes....

"Explain to me which company gives out so much money to a "company" that's failing?"

Anon.R.Mous is unclear as usual. Perhaps he meant which companies pay employees who fail. There are lots of examples of this in the business section. He probably doesn't read the business section. He probably doesn't read anything beyond blogs.

In this neighborhood ,for the education level, teachers get paid quite well, especially when you factor in benefits...And like I said before, if they try and fire you, just get a lawyer, they'll gladly pay you to go away and say nothing of the system shortcomings. That's the caveat, the secrecy of the board room deals. Remember the ex chemistry teacher at EHS?

12:55, you mean that teacher everyone loved and everyone was outraged was let go for no stated reason? Do YOU remember your high school chemistry class? If they have a "beloved" chemistry teacher, they are insane to let him go. It's a miracle.

Yes 6:20. If I recollect properly, the administrators didn't give him mandated reviews before seeking to terminate his employment. As we blog he is probably making more money and benefits than your average citizen. Meanwhile he has got another job. How many like him are on the school payroll? "Ghost employees"....Anybody?